An auspicious Laksharchana was performed at the lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala on Friday.

Hundreds of devotees from different parts of South India thronged the holy hillock to offer prayers at the Ayyappa shrine on Friday.

Sahasrakalasabhishekom

The Tantri, Kandararu Maheswararu, assisted by Melsanthi, N.Balamurali, performed the Sahasrakalasabhishekom and Kalabhabhishekom at the Ayyappa Temple prior to the Utchauja.

The Brahmakalasom and Kalabha-kalasaom were taken out in a ceremonialrocession to the Ayyappa temple in the forenoon. The Kalabhom (sandal paste) offered to the presiding deity was distributed as prasadom to the devotees, later.

Padipuja, Udayasthamanapuja and Pushpabhishekom were the other major rituals performed at the Sannidhanam on Friday.

The Ayyappa Temple will be closed after the Athazhapuja on Sunday, marking the culmination of the five-day monthly rituals in the Malayalam month of Meenom.

The temple will reopen on March 26 afternoon for the 10-day annual festival to be held from March 27 to April 5.

The Kodiyettu ceremony will be held between 9.30 am and 10 am on March 27.